Complexity of the links between destination outcomes and migration patterns: West to West intra-European mobility

Abstract

In this article, I build on existing research on destination outcomes and migration patterns to better understand West to West mobility within the European Union. I use a unique dataset, the European Internal Movers Social Survey, which was conducted in five countries, with movers who lived in Britain, France, Germany, Italy or Spain and came from one of the other four countries in the sample. The results of the analysis point to a complex relationship between selected destination outcomes (economic, social ties, attachments) and migration patterns(one-off, repeat or multiple). Multiple migrants tend to have better outcomes than one-off movers in relation to the labour market (in terms of being in employment) and destination country networks, but they attach less to the destination country. It seems that multiple migrants invest their resources selectively, and lower attachment to the destination country could be related to the possibility of further mobility. Repeat migrants are more likely to be employed than one-off migrants, but otherwise they do not differ in how they fare in destination in terms of social ties and attachments.